KēSTA IT | Services

This is where we thrive!

Making a "match" means finding the right technical fit coupled with someone who matches your company’s unique cultural values, needs and industry offerings.

CLIENT PROCESS
CANDIDATE PROCESS

No one is applying to my posting… What should I do?

There are several strategic initiatives that must come from the top of the org chart to address this question fully, but here are some quick suggestions that any hiring manager can take action on:

1.	Ask your current team and network for referrals (incentives help, pointed questions might be even better. When you ask your people, “who is the best Software Engineer you know other than you?” it reframes how they’re thinking about referrals)
2.	Take a hard look at the job description you have posted (does it strike you as a position you’d want to apply for when you were at that level? Have you written it in a way that highlights not just the experience you’re looking for, but also the attributes/characteristics of a successful candidate?)
3.	Shameless plug alert, give us a call. This is what we do

How do I make sure the people that I hire/train will stay?

Sadly, there is no magic bullet for this. It takes hard work as a leader to support and coach your people while also granting them the space/autonomy we all want in order to flourish in our jobs. Retention is about engagement and engagement comes down to front-line leadership. All of that being said, no one can ever have a perfect track record of hiring people who will stay long-term. Forgive the sports analogy, but there is no more strenuous interview process in the world than that of the National Football League. They spend millions of dollars measuring everything that can be measured on the field of play and off. They interview candidates for 10’s of hours, subject them to psychological tests, speak with countless references, and watch 100’s of hours of game film. All of that, and they still get it wrong sometimes. Put in place good vetting and retention processes and then do your best.
I have an opening on my team… What should I do first?

Slow down to speed up. Ask yourself the following questions: Why is the need open? What is the business objective the position solves for? Who are the stakeholders who will have a vested interest in this person’s success? How would you like someone to contribute to your culture? Ask yourself all of these questions before you create a hiring profile. After you’ve done that, you can get started on your actual search.
What makes you different for other “agency recruiters”?

While many technical recruiters may understand skillsets, few bridge the gap between your core business needs and how those needs translate to technical requirements.

Our team is experienced in operating as an extension of your organization! We take the time to understand and present your company in the best possible light and create a customized “client value proposition” for every client / every opening.
Do you work on a contingent or retained search basis?

Both! Your organizational needs are our focus! If you need our team exclusively dedicated to fulfilling your staffing needs, we will engage on a retained basis and see your positions through to final fulfillment.

If you’d prefer that we “compete” against other 3rd party staffing agencies or want to reserve the right to fulfill the position directly we will engage on a contingent search basis. You’ll only be charged for our services if a placement is made!
Do you fulfill management / leadership positions? YES!

We fulfill individual contributor roles, leader/ management level positions and conduct “C-Suite” executive search on a retained and/or contingent basis.
What is the “great resignation” and how can I keep my people?

Sadly, many employees were asked to do far more with less over the course of the COVID 19 pandemic. Now that the job market has markedly improved (especially in IT), many people who felt underappreciated are looking to leave. It’s not too late to have a frank conversation with your current team about their engagement at work, and what you can do to help improve it. Word of warning however, once you ask the question you MUST be prepared to do whatever you can to address what you hear. This may lead to some difficult conversations, but that beats having to spend all of your time hiring replacements.
How do I access the passive talent pool?

There are really no shortcuts when it comes to recruiting. Needless to say, part of your job is hiring (hence the term, “hiring manager”). Some leaders love sourcing people for their team, building proactive relationships, staying in touch with former star employees, and ultimately building a continuous pipeline of talent for the future. Most don’t! If you’re one of the latter, give us a call. This is what we do and have been doing since before the dot com bubble burst. Hiring IT talent is hard. Where do you want to go? We’ve got the key’s!~ KēSTA I.T.
What is your req intake process?

We start every search by seeking to understand “Why”! Why the staffing need exists, why a candidate would want to work for your organization (vs. others they’re considering), why one candidate would be a better match than another and why you’re utilizing a recruiter to begin with. Once these details are gathered we’ll verify that we fully understand the technical and business qualifications needed and begin our search efforts.

Do you charge job seekers for your services?

No! Our clients value our services as an extension of their recruitment team for hard to fill positions. All fees are agreed upon in advance and paid by our clients.
I just started my job search… What should I do first?

One of the questions all of our recruiters ask here at KēSTA I.T. is, “what’s most important to you in the next job you take?” Understanding your own “why” is a critical first step in the job search. After that, creating a list of companies that you’re interested in and exploring where you might have ties to those companies (hint: we can help with the latter) is a great start.
Are all of your jobs temporary / contract positions?

No! In fact over 75% of the positions that we fulfill are FTE roles working directly for our clients on a W2 employment basis.

What does a good resume look like?

Something you won’t hear from any resume writer or “career coach” (probably because it’s not a satisfying answer) is that a good resume is highly subjective depending on your audience. There are no generally accepted best practices when it comes to writing a resume, BUT here at KēSTA I.T. we have a decades of recruiting experience and have seen some common themes among the resumes that get selected for interviews:

1.	Keep it chronological (recruiters and hiring managers want to see where/when you did what you did)
2.	Quantify your accomplishments (wherever possible, highlight how the projects you’ve completed have either made or saved the company money and/or created a positive business outcome)
3.	Include the specific technologies that you’ve used, where you’ve used them (if you don’t do this, you’ll be asked by every recruiter and hiring manager what technologies you’ve used where/when) and finally
4.	When you apply to a job posting, tailor your resume to reflect the job description (insofar as you have the experience listed, you’ll want to make it a no-brainer for the person on the other end of the Applicant Tracking System to invite you to interview).

How can I best prepare for an interview?

The key word in the question above is “prepare!” Read the job description closely and come up with questions for the recruiter/hiring manager specifically related to the position. Research the company’s website and any news sources you can find on them. If you can find any podcasts that the hiring manager or leadership team have done, take a quick listen. The night before your interview, get a good night's sleep. Be sure you feel your best with whatever routine you use to make that happen. Finally, we recommend you prepare to look your best as well (even if it’s a video or phone interview) because that will contribute to a confident delivery, but be sure to be yourself. After all, they’re considering YOU for this job, not the person you think they want you to be.
What is the “hidden” job market?

The “hidden” job market refers to the large, yet unknown number of positions where a candidate or multiple candidates have already been identified for a job before it’s posted. Legally, most positions must be posted for a certain period of time and all qualified candidates should be given an opportunity to be considered. But hiring managers make hiring decisions using their own judgment. So it’s next to impossible to determine if they went with a candidate that they had in mind prior to posting, or if they discovered a new one during the interview process. This is why so many “thought leaders” in the recruiting/hiring space pound the table about networking. It’s because being top of mind before a job is posted is one of the best ways to be hired for said job.

How do I tap into the “hidden” job market?

“Networking” is a dirty word for many people. Here are some tips for anyone who’d prefer coding, Twitch, and Twitter to forced social interaction.

1.	Stay in touch with former leaders (it can be a text or email, but check in every once in a while to see how your former boss is doing)
2.	Take interviews (there is nothing wrong with setting the expectation up front that you’re happy in your current position, but open to exploring something else. If you set the expectation upfront that you probably won’t leave where you are, you’ll come out the other side with a new contact. One who may have the “right” job for you in the future).
3.	Help others find a job (they won’t forget it, and you’ll be the person they’ll think of when a future leader of theirs mentions that they may be opening something up soon).

How long is the average contract / temporary role with KēSTA I.T.?

While we can / will fulfill positions that are short term, our average consulting engagement is 12+ months / 40 hours per week.
Do you employ consultants on a W2 basis?

YES! The overwhelming majority of KēSTA I.T. consultants are W2 employees with optional access to PTO, company paid medical insurance reimbursement, 401K, continuing education reimbursement, referral bonuses and other company perks.
How long have you been in business?

KēSTA I.T. was founded in 2018 by industry veterans with over 20 years of technical staffing experience. Our team members have provided staff augmentation services for Fortune 100 companies, State and Federal government, Hospitals, FINTECH / Block Chain, IoT / Machine Learning organizations, leading SaaS companies, Higher Education and some of the world’s best known consumer products brands.

Our Process

This is where we thrive!

Don’t take our word for it!

Staffing Client Reference

Candidate Reference

Candidate Reference

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"Where do you want to go? We’ve got the keys! ~ KēSTA I.T.